mita

Yep, one of my mums friends found this out., luckily about a year before they actually moved in, so they got another dog and another cat (both their current pets where getting on in age) so that when they moved a year later they had 2 dogs and 2 cats. That way when their older pets passed on they would hopefully still have the younger ones. That was good thinking! I know of a couple who got caught when their little dog they'd moved in with, died. They'd assumed, as most people would, that they could replace. But.... it was one of the places where it said 'No' getting a pet while you're a resident. So they didn't mention that their dog had died. & took a very long holiday.... & in that time searched out a mature same breed dog that had much the same colouring. When they arrived back.... it was taken for granted it was the same dog. But.... that was still a pretty dicey. So no doubt it's better to know the conditions from the start. If they'd been aware, they'd never have bought at a village with that rule.

Good to hear, maz, which dogs were/are helped by BAWP. Thanks. They sure are a great addition to doing something positive about the dreadful BSL.

And it's good, too, that he has you for any additional support.... like with the tips for better recall. The right bit of advice at the right time, can make a huge difference.

I don't think they failed an intelligence test, so much as haven't been educated. We'll have to agree to disagree on this. It's lack of intelligent behaviour as a consumer. A consumer's first task is self-education. It's not passivity. The information is available. CHOICE even has a page on sourcing a dog, for consumers. And it also shows another trait that doesn't go along with intelligent behaviour .... inability to put off immediate rewards in the interests of doing some thinking. Also known as low frustration tolerance. In fact, the breeder who's just been avoided for 'asking questions' should breathe a sigh of relief.

One of the top things to tick on a checklist when looking for a breeder who fits the evidence....of raising dogs & puppies well. This breeder susses out the conditions & care his/her puppy would get with someone who's applying to buy. Shows this is a breeder who cares... it's foremost about his/her dogs. This care is likely to go with his/her dogs being lovingly bonded with humans.... as well as concern that health is a good as is humanly possible. Anyone who sees such an attitude as a signal to hare off to a pet store... where the puppies are sourced from the total opposite situation.... has just failed an intelligent consumer test.

When wise consumers buy anything, they know it's not just a matter of price. It's a case of what a particular price buys. And that's something which the consumer wants. What people want when they buy a puppy is a companion dog, for them and/or their family. And they have ideas about what it should look like & what kind of personality/behaviour it will show. That's the kind of information which is badly needed to get to the pet-buying public, about purebred dogs. So the starting point should be.... telling the public how dogs are bred & raised by breeders,, so that those factors above are more likely in place. No other group associated with breeding has solid evidence on their side.... that their puppies will tend to develop into being companionable.... than the small scale, non-commercial hobby breeder (who doesn't sell thro' pet stores). That is, the way most registered breeders operate. BTW that's the reason I've bought purebred dogs from registered breeders who work that way. Always adopting retired showdogs from them. (Added factors there.... as the dogs have already proven they're socialised & have been exposed to both home & outside life). And those breeders have been more interested in a good home.... than in asking for money. When I've believed they have every right to do so, for the quality of their care and outcomes. So I've had to make them take a good sum of money .... and, frankly, the lovely dogs in health, nature & looks I've got from them.... would be worth the world to me.

No, BAWP didn't have anything to do with Rocket's case. His case was handled and helped by Dogs On Trial DOT Victoria/ForDogsSake Australia. Registered fundraiser. DOT/FDS arranged all the legals, and funding. :) Big job and extremely costly. You're right. I didn't get that from a reliable source.... it was among comments individuals added on to a Facebook page.

Methinks that people that make mistakes are most likely to blame somebody else. And there's a difference between 'cause' and 'blame'. To improve outcomes in the future.... in respect to potentially preventable things going wrong... it's necessary to tease out what events/decisions caused the problem. Seeking 'causation' has become the correct catch-cry around mistakes/errors in hospitals...so that there's openness in examining factor/factors which led to something going wrong. 'Blame', which is full of emotional overtones of witch-hunts, only leads to temptations to cover things up or total emphasis on punishing someone. Meanwhile the opportunity to learn for the future gets lost. As it's in danger of being lost in this thread. The immediate cause is as T just said... an owner acting, after a phone call with a vet, to give a cat 4 times the dose of a medication recommended. And the causes of something like that happening need to be further teased out. Like, need for highly specific instructions, including warnings about dangers.... from vet to owner. Teasing back further.... the need for debate about the nature of that medication being given to animals. And further back ... the opportunities for emergency vet treatment.... with cost concerns.... in that area. Far more potential for illuminating veterinary emergency treatment .... than running with the notion of 'blame'. Incidentally, the very subject heading for this thread.... is one of 'blame'. A 'cause' heading would say something like.... 'Medication use/dosage linked to cat's death.'

Westie, the US people I passed it on to, were so, so impressed. Great to see Australian researchers come up with something as practical as that. Thank goodness for corvus.... who passed it on. I love his Mac Cave .... he's like a senior doggie Batman! And good on him for advancing the knowledge about aging & dementia.

And, Staffy, it's so frustrating in the meantime. The dogs have proven the point!

Yes to this. Loads of veterinary evidence to support it.

Me, too, I nodded & nodded as I read....I was like one of those things on the back ledge of cars. The tragedy is that recent research in the US shows the likeliest best adjusted dogs come from the hobby, home-style, non-commercial breeders. Not the large scale commercial sources. Most of our purebred breeders work, in that hobby, home-style. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201305/behavior-differences-in-dogs-pet-stores-versus-breeders Many of us lucky pet owners had already sussed that out. But I continue to be amazed how many good, decent pet people don't know. And some even think pet people can't buy from 'show people'. So I continue to do lots of word-or-mouth 'marketing' .... & I know other pet people do, too. Just a personal note.... I'm delighted that the author is a Cardigan Corgi breeder. Tibbie tragic that I am... I love the Cardies, too. We grew up with one who was a dog for all seasons. And I hope she sorts something with the reading-to-dogs program. A US Tibbie breeder has one of her retired showgirls who 'works' as a read-to-me-dog in a library:

And so, so primitive. As out of date as identifying witches by moles on their body. There is not one authoritative group who supports laws that are based on predicting behaviour from a dog's looks, alone. . Not the RSPCA, not the Australian Veterinary Association. No one in the world of research. The fact that these dogs have remained sweet natured & non-aggressive, after being locked up, away from their families, for so long .... should be evidence of the poor science behind locking them up in the first place. Why aren't the local government authorities who persist with this stuff, red-faced with embarrassment?

Your Claudey must've been a very special boy to leave such wonderful memories, as fresh today in your heart. The special ones are like that. Hugs.

He did, too. And it was very, very funny. :) Staffies have the biggest grins in the dog world.

Looks super.... & I was delighted how you put 3 things that need highlighting, in your first issue. Pet therapy (giving as an example the great team from Dogs Vic, Junior Handlers (one of the best 'educational' initiatives in the p/b dog world), & the awful things done in the name of BSL (with another totally innocent dog to be saved).

That Barristers Animal Welfare Panel is one of the shining lights of animal welfare. They played a big part in winning Rocket's release after 12 months on death row. And now they've gone right to the heart of the matter .... bringing an example of an enlightened system of dog management to this country. I hope councils in other states, besides Victoria, get to know about that visit.

And he signed his name. Good for him. I agree that someone like this would be great value in public life. His comments about juvenile... & often, vile... name-calling are most welcome!

You made me curious. I googled the American Kennel Club's listings of the most popular breeds in their major cities. Here's the listings for New York City for 2011 & 2012. Very intriguing, they say the Labrador Retriever has taken top spot in NYC, from Yorkies who've dominated in recent years. http://www.akc.org/reg/topdogsbycity.cfm?page=1#NewYorkCity Have a look at Newark above NYC for a mention of Havanese.

Apologies, I'm going OT, too, nawnim. But that's interesting what you say about Lottie behaving differently in the two environments.... shelter & then with you at home. It sure shows the power of the environment in dog behaviour (but, then, it does too with humans). I was wrong with my first guess about 11 yr old Sita in the case I cited. She'd been an only dog of an older lady since puppyhood, had not had much to do with other dogs, didn't like the cat that hissed at her in the retirement village where she lived. I thought she'd best match a similar environment. But the highly experienced Cav Rescue Qld lady went & assessed her. And said she'd be fine adjusting to a different environment. And she did.... as I said. Walked in & was completely at home with a busy home of 4 adults, 3 male tibbies & 1 cat.

In the comments a few people have said the same thing, it should be re released. I sent them an email suggesting it. :laugh: cant see it happening, but it would be funny if they did. I'll do it, too. Maybe so could other people. Since you've posted it, it's got so many fans. Greyhound owner/trainer next door went off with the details this afternoon.... said he's dying to see it.

Here's AWL NSW's information on their Legacy Program. I notice they have an Emergency Card system which alerts emergency services or family members. Of course, a lot depends on actual details that could be got by enquiring. http://www.awlnsw.com.au/legacies-and-bequests.html

We had a situation like that with an 11 yr old p/b Tibbie. This lady, in her 80s, knew her health would be fading over the next few years & wanted to see if Sita (the tib) could be rehomed while she was still well & alert enough to supervise that she went to a good home. She, too, was frightened that some bad health event would leave Sita stranded. So she phoned the Tibetan Spaniel Association of Victoria... who put her on to tibbie folk closer to her in Q'ld. Wonderful lady from Cav Rescue Qld was nearby.... & went and talked with her and had a look at Sita. Her view was that Sita would settle happily in a new home... even if it had other dogs. Sydney Tibbie pet owners put up their hand for Sita & drove to Tweed Heads to meet the lady & Sita. And Sita did settle in.... with 3 Tibbie boys for 'brothers'...& an adoring family. Happy ending all round... the elderly lady is kept up to date with pics & stories about Sita. This was this lady's choice....seeing & knowing Sita had a forever home. I also agree that there can be legacy programs (AWL & RSPCA run them up here in Qld). Older person undertakes to provide a legacy payment on their death (or disablement) & the organisation will rehome. The important thing is that there are options other than PTS. You're great in caring & supporting the lady in finding whatever one brings her peace of mind.